Senate Bid to Avert Shutdown Puts Money for Ukraine at Center, McCarthy Flips on Aid, US Pays Ukrainian Salaries, MTG Humiliates McCarthy, Speaker Drops Plan to Strip Ukraine Aid

Senators from both parties are negotiating a stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown, with a major point of contention being whether to include up to $25 billion in new military assistance for Ukraine. While there is broad bipartisan support in the Senate for aid to Ukraine, some House Republicans oppose it, potentially complicating efforts to pass the bill. The divide over Ukraine funding highlights the challenges Congress faces in avoiding a shutdown, with the Senate now preparing its own version of an interim spending bill. Speaker Kevin McCarthy's stance on Ukraine aid remains uncertain, as it could provoke a challenge to his speakership.